RWBY Penny play Detroit!
by AlbionicTheSonic
Summary: Team rwby start spring break by playing detroit!
1. Prologue

Hey guys this is my very first fan crossover story! Idk what I'm doing but I fancy myself an alright writer, and do give me critique! That way I can make myself better. Hope you enjoy!

The bell rang to the utter joy of Ruby he leaped up with a smile and a gleeful shout as she ran out of the room, shouting, "Spring Break!" Professor Port chuckles. "Enjoy your week off, pupils!" He says cheerfully as Yang, Blake and Weiss follow behind Ruby. "What on earth is she so excited about? I mean, I'm sure we'll enjoy this week off, but she's a little.. too excited." Blake says, "Could involve that friend she was texting." Yang responds, "What friend?" Blake clarifies. "She's been texting some online friend of hers. I asked her some about him, and he's apparently sending her a very rare console and a video game with it." Weiss groans. "Oh, for the love of Oum.. Of course she'd love those childish things. They're wastes of time." Yang responds, quite loudly, "How dare you insult my years-long experience in making Ishiru, Golden Dragon Slayer!" Blake chuckles. "Guys, calm down. Let her enjoy her game. Hopefully it's one of those games with a story. I like those more than the games with nothing but bashing and fighting on repeat."

Ruby shot into her room, looking for the package, and found it behind the door. "AH IT'S HERE ITS HERE ITS HERE!" She babbles excitedly as she opens it, showing a letter. "Hey, Ruby, here's that console I told you about. The game I sent with it is Detroit: Become Human. It may resonate to that Faunus friend of yours. Oh, and see if you can rope Penny into playing it, too. It'll be something for you all to enjoy. It's a bit of an emotional rollercoaster though. There's no lack of action, though, don't worry. Signed, Jon." She gave an ecstatic screech as she removed the console and plugged it in as the manual guided, and set up the account, then popped in the game. She bounces on the spot as she waits for the game to start. Then a bar came up. "What?! A download?! Ugh!!" The door opens and Yang walks into the room, followed by the remaining team members. The blonde says, "What's the problem?" Ruby groans, "My friend sent me a console and a game, but the game has to download!" Yang smiles, then says, "Come on, little sis, at least be grateful he bought you then in the first place. It must have cost him a lot of lien." Weiss cuts in saying, "So, what's this game about, hmm? Shooting indescriminately? Bashing nonsensically?" Yang briefly says with a smile, "Alright, we get it, you're rich! Don't need to prove it with ten dollar words." Earning her a squint from Weiss, which she smiles off. "Oh, it's about androids apparently." Yang questions, "Androids? What, like p-" she's cut off by Ruby. "Yes! Like her, I guess. I don't know, because it's not downloaded yet. How do I make it go faster?" Blake responds whilst reading a book, "You don't. You just wait. Do something else. Or, try and see if Penny can come over. You love spending time with her." Ruby perks up. "Oh, right! My friend said you should all play it with me!" Yang says, "Ehat, is it a multiplayer?" Ruby says, "Oh, no. Oh, but you can at least watch! He thought you should participate." Blake adds in, "I'm reading back here, but I think I'll be able to follow." Ruby nods, then says, "I suppose I should see if Penny wants to join in with us." She pulls out her scroll, texting Penny, and after a few minutes, she says, "She'll be by once this dumb game is finished downloading." Yang speaks, asking, "Hey, is that guy you're talking to around? How did you meet him?" Ruby answers, "Oh, yeah, he's responding pretty quickly. And he just friended me one day. He must have seen that selfie I took with you all after we were made a team. He said he was a fan of us." Yang chuckles. "Well, I don't see why not. We were looking good." Weiss scoffs. "She meant as huntresses, you airhead!" She perks you and stutters, "Oh, yeah! R-right, that too, hehe!" Blake shakes her head and asks a question. "What's his name? Where's he from?" Ruby responds, "He just wanted me to call him Al. And.. well, I never asked. She looks over to the download and groans. "Ugh, it's only at 8%." Penny says, "What's at 8%?" Ruby begins to answer then yelps. "Oh, the game I was- AH PENNY! You need to stop doing that! How did you come here?" She asks as everyone besides Blake flinches and yelps. Her heightened senses were able to spot her climbing though the window, and she was in the corner of the room as well. "I climbed through the window."

A moment of awkward silence occurred before Weiss says, "Are you aware how creepy that is?" Yang softly elbows her ribs with a smile and says, "Oh, I see. Neptune climbs into our window, and it's fine, but someone else does it, and suddenly you get all uppity." Weiss snaps back, "At least I protest boys in here!" Penny ignorantly, if hilariously comments, "That is talking about cute boys out of the way! Now on to the other two, and this will have been the best sleepover! Wait, is the game downloading too slow?" Ruby answers, "Yeah, the dumb thing is taking forever." Penny walks you to the console and lays her hand on it, and the percentage rapidly climbed up to 80%. "Weird. Such a bizarre design. That's all I could speed it up to." Weiss asks, "Wait, you can just do that?" Penny nods, followed by Yang saying, "Whoa, Nelly!" Penny says, "No, my name is Penny!" Swiftly followed by a hug from Ruby. "You just saved us all an hour or two!" Blake asks, "What kinda game is this?" Ruby responds, "Apparently it's very story-driven. It lets you make choices, and the choices affect the story." Weiss perks up. "Really? Well, I guess I could give this a try if it's a story." Yang smiles and says, "I knew you could do it! Well make a nerd out if ya yet!" Weiss scoffs. "I doubt that very much." Ruby suddenly speaks up, saying, "Guys, guys shut up its starting!" With an eager smile on her face.

The production teams flashed, then the title presented itself. Detroit: Become Human. The screen then reveals an extremely detailed and beautiful blonde woman with blue eyes. "Whoa! It's so real!" Yang marvels. The woman speaks, saying, "Hello! Welcome to the DETROIT experience. I'm an Android, and I'll be your hostess!" Ruby says, "Wow, shes like you, Penny!" She responds in her eager tone, "I am called a robot." Blake says, "What's the difference? And what about a cyborg?" Penny clarifies. "A robot is made up of metal. A cyborg is a person modified with cybernetics. An Android is essentially a robot made with synth flesh." Realization flickers in her eyes. "Huh. Maybe I am like her! I never-" she was shushed by Weiss. "Don't talk over her!" The rest whites down and paid attention. "Before we begin, let's make some adjustments to optimize your experience." Ruby did, putting in her settings, then when she finished, the robotic woman spoke again. "You are now ready to begin DETROIT. Remember. This is not just a story. This is our future." Then the screen fades to black. The last line sent chills down Blake's spine. "I feel like she said that for a reason."


	2. 1

Hey guys I'm glad for what little positive reactions I got on this! It's enough to make me continue for as long as it takes to see this series through! Without further ado, here's chapter 2! No I didn't mean to rhyme.

The sound of a coin being flipped can be heard as a date flashes across the screen: AUG 15TH 2038. "Is that in the future, or..?" Yang trails off and Blake says, "Maybe we should wait and see before asking questions." The back shot of a man in a suit reads ANDROID RK800 on the back with a triangle consisting of many lesser triangles. Said man is flipping a coin. He then demonstrates amazing sleight if hand by balancing it on his fingers, then flips it between his fingers as the camera shows a circle on his right temple. Blue light spins about in it. The elevator stops on floor 70, and the man catches the quarter between his middle and index finger, which he pockets before adjusting his tie. "Huh. He doesn't look half-bad." Yang comments. Most everyone ignores her and focuses. The doors open to reveal a hall of some sorts. A man in tactical armor and with a rifle notices the man and put his finger to his ear. "Negotiator in site. Repeat, negotiator on site." The Android stands for a while and Yang says, "What's goin' on?" Then getting moves a step, and Ruby chuckles. "Oh, I'm playing already! Wow!" She walks by a shattered aquarium, noticing a fish on the floor, softly flapping, and a prompt comes up. After a few seconds, she follows the prompt and the Andriod picks up the fish, after somehow scanning it, bringing up its species. When a prompt to save or leave the fish comes, Ruby saves it, dropping the fish in the water, who swims with renewed vigor. "Gotta help the little guy." Ruby sweetly compliments as a confusing prompt comes up. Software instability "Any idea what that means, Penny?" Blake asks. "That his software.. is more stable? I do not understand." She says, puzzled. The Andriod rounds the corner, to find a man in tactical armor pulling a crying woman along who grips onto the Android.

"Oh, oh please, you gotta save my little girl..!" Then she notices the light in the side of his head, the triangle on his suit. "Wait.. you're sending an Android?" The man in the armor tries to pull her away, quickly saying, "Alright, ma'am, we need to go." But she struggles against him, not very effectively as he leads her to the elevator. "You can't- you can't do that! You w- why aren't you sending a real person?! Don't let that thing near her!" Blake growls a slight bit at this comment. Far as she could see, the Android was just as human as she. An objective comes up; Find Captain Allen. "Okaayy. Who's captain Allen?" Ruby asks as she walks forth. She walks into a room a voice is heard from, walking past some armored men behind cover. "I DONT GIVE A SHIT! My men are ready to step in. Just give the order!" SWAT glimmers on his back as she goes to talk to him. "Fuck! I can't believe this.." Weiss says, "This game is already vulgar. Great." The Android speaks to the man, finally introducing himself. "My name is Connor. I'm the Android sent by Cyberlife. The captain looks to the Andriod then a screen him and another armored man are operating. "It's firing starts everything that moves. It already shot down two of my men. We could easily get it, but they're on the edge of a balcony. If it falls, she falls." Blake sighs, saying, "Hostage situation, then." Ruby makes Connor ask, "Do you know it's name?" The captain says, "I haven't got a clue. Does it matter?" Connor simply replies, "I need information to determine the best approach." Then she makes him ask, "Have you tried it's deactivation code?" The captain says, quickly, "It's the first thing we tried." He stands up and faces Connor. "Listen. Saving that kid is all that matters. So either you deal with this fucking Android now, or I'll take care of it!" Before walking off. "Well, I understand that, but don't be so ride about it." Yang says, as probability of success goes down. Connor walks to a nearby closet, looking at an empty gun case, then looks at the case, then the box of bullets. Then the scene plays back out with polyginned figures of an Android, and the case and it's box. "Whoa! This is cool! Do you have anything like this, Penny?" Ruby remarks. She shakes her head. "I'm afraid not. I was meant to fight, not be a negotiator." Blake adds, "So, he grabbed the gun. That's not good."

Ruby directs Connor to walk into a pink, dimly lit room, then looks on the desk for a scroll-like device as well as a screen on the desk. The tablet plays a video of a girl and an Android together. "This is Daniel, the coolest Android in the world! Say hi, Daniel!" The Android says, with a smile as big as the girl's, "hello!" The girl continues, "You're my bestie! We'll always be together!" Ruby sighs. "Well, that's kinda sad, knowing what's going on now." Weiss says, "What happened? He wouldn't just go crazy for no reason." Blake says, "If it matters as little as that Allen claimed, we may not find out." Ruby walks out, into the living room to show a dead man, bleeding from three wounds, laying in a shattered glass table. Most everyone winced, aside from Penny. The reconstruction shows he was on the couch, looking at something, then looked behind him, stood up and got shot three times. The object he was holding flew to the side. Ruby goes to grab it and reveals that the man was ordering a new Android. "So, maybe he got upset he was going to be replaced?" Blake suggests. "I can't think of any other reason." Yang adds. Then ruby walks over to the dinner table where a cop lies dead as two more shots ring out and an armored man falls to the ground, groaning. Two others spring into action, the other remarking, "Holy shit! Cover me while I evacuate him!" As he pulls the man away. "I think I should hurry. One last thing." She says as she approaches the body. He was a police officer. He fired a shit judging by the gunpowder on his hand, and was shot right in the heart. The Android, or Deviant got shit once but killed the cop, all while gripping the girl who saw it, and his gun fell under the table. "Alright, time to do this." Ruby says. "You're not gonna grab the gun?" Blake asks. "Someone already got shot cuz I'm taking too long, I'm not gonna take any longer." She says in that way. The way she did when she knew someone innocent would suffer for her mistakes. She was.. inspiring in that manner. Connor pushes aside the curtain, only to receive a shot to the arm, painting a bit of the curtain blue, but Connor is only sent back by the bullet, without so much as a wince. "Whoa! Did that not hurt?" Weiss asks. "He must be like me. We can't feel pain." The Deviant, Daniel speaks up. "Stay back! Don't come any closer or I'll jump!" The girl panics, saying, "No! No, please, I'm begging you!" Men with rifles take their place on either side of Daniel. Connor speaks. "Hi, Daniel! My name is Connor! The deviant expresses his confusion. "How- How do you know my name?" Connor says, "I know a lot of things about you. I've come to get you out of this." He says as he slowly approaches with his hands up. A helicopter flies overhead, knocking furniture over, lowering the probability of success. "Oh, come on, man!" Yang annoyedly states. "I know you're angry, Daniel. But you need to trust me and let me help you." Daniel quickly responds, still holding the girl, "I don't want your help! Nobody can help me!" He says the last sentence in a bit of a sob. "All I want is for all this to stop... I.. I just want all this to stop.." Connor says, "I know you and Emma were very close. You think she betrayed you, but she's done nothing wrong." Daniel snarls, "She lies to me!" Yang yells, "Dude, she didn't know you were gonna be replaced! She probably would not have liked it at all!" Daniel laments, "I thought she loved me.." as Connor observes a wounded dark-skinned cop on the floor. "But I was wrong.. she's just like all the other humans." The girl sobs, saying, "Daniel, no.." Connor notes his shit arm, saying, "He's losing blood! If we don't get him to a hospital, he's going to die." Daniel coldly responds, "All humans die eventually. What does it matter I this one dies now?" Blake shook her head at this. While Faunus were just us mortal as Humans, she heard much apathy toward human life like this. Connor pushes the man to his back, saying, "I'm going to apply a tourniquet." Then Daniel shoots the ground near the man. "Don't touch him! Touch him and I kill you!" Connor ignores him, removing his tie. Ruby wouldn't let such threats stop herself from saving someone. He removes his tie, saying, "You can't kill me! I'm not alive!" Weiss balls at this. "Well, that's, cold. In a.. wholesome way, I suppose.." Daniel nervously watches as possibility of success lowers. Public opinion goes up and Connor stands again, slowly approaching Daniel.

"They were going to replace you and you became upset. That's what happened, right?" Connor asks. Daniel responds, "I thought I was part of the family. I thought I mattered.. but I was just their toy.. some th omg to throw away when you're done with it.." Connor responds, "Listen. I know it's not your fault. These emotions you're feeling are just errors in your software." Daniel softly sobs, "No. it's not my fault.." as probability of success climbs. "I never wanted this.. I loved them, you know.. but I was nothing to them. Just a slave to be ordered around.." the helicopter flies close, soliciting a groan from Daniel. "I can't stand that noise anymore! Tell that helicopter to get out of here!" Seeing no other choice, Ruby did just that, the men inside saying, "The situation is under control!" As it flies off. "I hope so.." Ruby nervously comments. Connor speaks to Daniel. "There. I did what you wanted. You have to trust me, Daniel. Let the hostage go, and I promise you everything will be fine." Probability of success climbs to 94%. "How can he calculate that? It's basically luck. You don't have that, do you, Penny?" She shakes her head. "No. I do not see odds. I simply see many things to do to improve advantage." Daniel states his terms. "I want everyone to leave. An-and I want a car! When I'm outside the city, I'll let her go!" The line choices come up. "Sacrifice self? No no, not yet we can still do this." Ruby says as she presses compromise. "That's impossible, Daniel." Connor says. "Let the girl go and I promise you won't be hurt." A bad feeling developed in the guts of Blake, Yang and Weiss. Probability of success peaks at 99%. Daniel nervously says, "I don't wanna die.." Connor responds, "You're not going to die. We're just going to talk." That bad feeling gets worse. Probability of success reaches 100%. Daniel breathes nervously, then says, "Okay. I trust you..." he puts the girl down, he runs a few paces before falling to the floor. Then Connors expression goes from concerned to serious. And shots ring out. Daniel is shot in the side, shoulder, and the jaw as blue blood splatters. "No!" Ruby shouts. "What the hell?!" Yang cries in disbelief. Everyone else gasps their disbelief as Daniel kneels. "You lies to me, Connor." He says as he weakens. "You lies to me." He again says, in a more robotic voice before his body freezes. Software stability . "Is.. is he dead?" Penny asks. "That lying bastard! He.." Yang groans in frustration. "Yang, as underhanded a tactic that was, the captain was right. Saving the girl was all that mattered. And she's safe." Weiss says calmly. "Maybe, but that doesn't mean they had to gun him down like that.." Blake says. Connor walks back toward the elevator, as the mission is successful. Speak of the devil, the captain stares after the android. Impressed at how he got the job done, with the look of.. something else on his face. Disbelief, maybe? An armored man pulls the girl to safety as the camera pans to the city.

The scene fades to black and gives way for the flowchart. "I guess this is the choices we make and the path they led us." Ruby says, looking across it. "Could Daniel have been saved?" Ruby shrugs. "I don't know. But I want to continue the game." Blake asks, "Why? If there's a way to save him shouldn't we go back now?" Then Ruby responds, making quite a point. "Al said to treat this game like real life. And in real life, we can't just go back in time to try and make better choices. We just stick with the ones we make, and try and live with the consequences, and make the best we can if things." The statement touched most everyone's heart, Yang's most of all.

Next, the date is NOV 5TH 2038. "November? We're three months past that last scene. What could have happened?" The cyber life logo is shown over a blurred scene as code occurs. The code to boot an Android up, presumably. "AX400. That's not Connor, is it?" Weiss asks. "No, his number was RK800. Maybe it's another Android." Penny answers, then Ruby adds, "Oh! Al said we should all play. So, want to play this Android, Weiss?" She shrugs, taking the controller. "It won't be very difficult, I imagine." The still slightly arrogant heiress comments. The screen unblind to show a girl in a jacket looking interestedly over her. "Why's she looking at us like we're in a zoo?" Yang asks. "Who knows? Maybe they are?" Ruby shrugs. Be a strange zoo. One sized and decorated like a store. Someone speaks behind her, saying, "This is the top of the range household assistant. It cooks 10,000 different dishes, speaks 200 languages and dialects." The girl is ushered off by presumably her mother. "I get it. They're selling androids." Weiss observes. "But I thought they were just for the government? Like how Connor was a negotiator?" Ruby asks, and Weiss answers plainly, "Evidently not. "..and handles the kid's homework, from elementary school up to university level." The man continues, who upon further inspection is himself an Android. "True to life, then. I know you've already gotten her to help you on some homework, Ruby." Yang comments with a smile. "Oh, come on, did you see how much they gave us? It should be against the law to give that much homework!" The male of the couple speaking to the Android asks, "How much did you say it was?" The android answers, "At the moment, we're doing a special promotion in this entire range at 7999 with a 48-months interest free credit." Weiss responds, "If they gave us some other reference in price I feel like we could understand how expensive they are." Another Android comes over with another couple, all talking over each other about Android duties, prices and services. A man in plaid leads a man on the chubbier side toward the Android the girls play. "I don't like the look of this guy." Yang instantly comments. "There it is!" The apparent employee says. "It was a bit difficult getting it back into working order. It was really messed up. What did you says happened to it again?" He asks the man. "A car hit it. Stupid accident." Blake comments, "Somehow I don't buy that." The employee doesn't seem to either, offering a nervous Mhmm. "I see. Anyway, it's as good as new now. Except that we had to reset it. Meaning we had to wipe its memory. Hope you don't mind." The larger man says, "That'll be fine." All quick and nervous like. "Okay. Did you give it a name?" The employee asks. "My daughter did." The large man says. The employee steps in front of their Android and says, "AX400, register your name." Then steps aside, allowing the man to say the name. "Kara." The camera flips to a pleasant looking woman Android who smiles, and says, "My name is Kara." Yang says, "So it isn't Connor." Blake snickers. "The name gave it away? Maybe not the number or the feminine voice?" Yang shook her head. "Go read your book." She says as the intro begins.

A futuristic city, Detroit. Androids are clearly commonplace. Construction workers, deliverers, anything you could think of, save for some roles. Judging by many sculptures, this is a city where art is valued. A poor man sits on the ground outside with a cardboard sign, reading, "I lost my job because of Androids. Help!" Ruby spoke up. "I never considered that. Who knows how many people would be out of a job because of androids." Blake nods. "They don't ask for pay, they don't need to rest, their never tired. The economy must be terrible." Weiss comments, "well, he could find a job." Yang says, "Preeetty sure he's not qualified to do much. He's been outed by Androids. Not much he could do they already do." The camera shows the man drive Kara to a rather bad-looking neighborhood, where houses are broken down, one burnt and just left.

"Whatever your stances on society and all it's parts, this is bound to appeal in some way to you girls." A male voice says and they all look around, then Ruby sees her scroll get taken up by the face of a young man with long dark hair. "Oh, hey, Al! You weren't waiting long, were you?" She asks as she picks up her scroll. "Doesn't matter. Y'all are getting into the game, don't see the problem with it. Just saying, this game should speak to all of you." Yang speaks, looking over Ruby's shoulder saying, "Hello, Ruby's friend. Your name's Al? What's that shirt for?" She asks, soliciting a chuckle from the boy. "Short for Aldanunya." Then Weiss comes into frame. "So that's him?" Ruby nods. "Oh, hey, Weiss. Good to know you live up to your beauty in.. well, as in person as this gets." Weiss sighs. "Ah, come on, don't give me a Schnee-r." From the side, Yang points and gives a brief chuckle. "I like this guy, if Al-be honest!" The boy chuckles again. "Alright, quit with the puns before that ball gets to rollin'. Already met Blake and Penny." Blake gives a wave from her bed, Penny a more hearty one as she gives her patented salutations. "So, what you're watching us play?" Ruby asks. "It's not nearly as creepy as it sounds. Besides, think of me as a guide. I can provide more context on this world, and help you through the game. I'm not spoiling anything, though." Weiss adds, "Well, I sure hope not." Al then says, "Ohp, next bits starting." Ruby looks up and puts the scroll down, looking up to the screen as the next bit begins.


	3. 2

Hey guys I'm sorry I haven't updated for a bit but I got doom eternal and Witcher 3 before that and I keep procrastinating. I will continue RWBY x Detroit but I have an idea. Wolf among us x Witcher. Not like either of them play the game but a genuine crossover where Geralt partners up with bigby or utterly replaces him. Either way, there's lots of ways to do it. Is he teleported into the world from his? Or has he been living there all along, as a fable himself? Just wanted to put this out there, if I do try and act on this idea, how do you think I should go about it? Anyway, onto the chapter, sorry it's so short but with the lack of updates I feel it's better to get it out sooner if shorter than later and longer, as I don't want to keep y'all waiting. Enjoy!

The date reads the same, but the time is 5:36 AM. The scene begins with a shot of the morning sun shining through a tree, it's leaves an autumn hue as an Android with a shaved head walks through a park. "I'm playing him now?" Asks Weiss before continuing. "Can this game make up its mind?" Blake says, "It's a common form of narrative to keep you guessing." The camera shows him from the front. "All androids seem to be good-looking, huh?" Yang points out. Ruby comments, "Well, dug, they're androids, sis. Also, is it just me, or is his outfit different from other Androids'?" Penny asks, "What do you mean?" Weiss answers, "I think I know what you mean. Connor had a suit and tie. Kara had that shirt on. They all wear something that makes it obvious they're Androids. Him, not so much. I wonder why." A girl runs to a dark-skinned female android who opens her arms to the girl in a hug. Control is given to Weiss, who walks past a man sitting in a bench. His female android asks, "Would you like to go home, now?" The man responds with, "Yes, I think that's enough for one day.." the Android puts her hand out. "Here. Let me help you." The old man is audibly surprised. "Oh! Oh, thank you dear." As she helps him up. "I suppose that's one use for androids. To help people who are too old to do it themselves and keep them healthy." Ruby says, smiling at his wholesome nature, not expecting it to help him. He clearly didn't think of the Android as a servant, but a person. "Hold on.." Blake says as she squints at the distance. "Is that.. an Android pushing around a baby carriage?" Yang sighs. "And then we have something that an Android should not be used for. If you're not gonna take care of your kids yourself, why have them in the first place." That line resonates within weiss, but she kept quiet.

A running man passes Weiss, followed by an Android. The man stops, and bends forward and pants in exhaustion. The man says, "Hey, water!" To the Android, putting out his hand. The Android grabs a water bottle off his belt, handing it to the man, who drinks from it. "You have run twelve miles, and there are five miles away from your goal." Yang asks, "What, did he just rent him as a running buddy?" The man tosses the bottle to the Android when he finishes with his swig, then begins to run again. "Well, that's a bit rude." She comments. Weiss crosses the street, and a prompt comes up. Press R2 to use radar. She did, and a similar filter comes across the screen as time stops and her objective is shown. "Oh, this guy has the same thing." Ruby says as she carries on. They witness a woman toss an empty cup on the floor right next to an Android with a broom, no more than ten feet away from a trash can. "Wow, lady, couldn't walk the five feet to the trash can?" Yang angrily comments, and Blake responds, "Why would she, when he's there? To her, he's just a moving trash can." Ruby turns to face Blake and asks, "Where did that come from?" Blake answers cryptically, "Personal experience." Weiss continues walking and stops to observe a man speaking quite loudly to a gathering crowd. "The machines are observing us," he says. "They're waiting until the darkness for the right moment to take our place. For it is written, let us lie in wait for blood!" And most everyone scoffs. "Let us ambush the innocent without cause! God will not let this happen. No, he will not allow his creation to be led astray by these.. these artificial demons! My brethren! We have to turn our backs on sin! We have to burn the androids! Let us burn them all!" Ruby says, "Alright, I was thinking he was just a bit too religious, but it's clear he's just nuts." Then the man looks to the Android Weiss plays. "Why do you look at me so demon?" Al chimes in for the first time in a while with, "How do you not look at the crazy bastard spewing nonsense?" Soliciting a chuckle from a few. The man points at Weiss, saying, "I know who you are. I can see through you! You are the one by whom the evil will come! You are the one who will destroy Detroit!" Yang says as he goes back to his crowd, "Grade-a nut job. Jeez."

Weiss walks towards her objective, passing by a clothes store. In the windows in the store are styles of clothes on display, worn by androids. "Huh. That's clever. I'd massively demeaning." Weiss comments, seeing the meaninglessness in being a mannequin. Mostly just posturing and showing off what may or may not actually be something good. Something she understood from her home life. She reaches the store, Bellini Paints and enters. "Wonder what he's in here for. Does he paint?" Ruby asks. "It depends on if these androids are given the spark to create. Judging by how none of these androids are really different from one another, I don't think so." Weiss responds, "I feel like we'll see why he's here soon." As she approaches the counter and places his hand on a scanner, the skin in his hand briefly disappearing. "Whoa! That's cool!" Ruby marvels. "Identification verified." The cashier says in a chipper, yet monotone voice as he pulls a box from under the counter and places it on said counter. "Here's your order #847. That'll be 63.99. Please confirm payment." The elf in both of their heads turn yellow, and then, "payment confirmed." Says Weiss' Android in a gentle voice. "Huh. Kinda similar to our transactions. 'Cept we can't use our heads.." Yang chuckles as the cashier says, "Transaction complete." Weiss takes the bag and leaves the store. She walks back down the alley and to the right, toward her objective. They notice a group of people shouting indeterminately and waving signs. "Looks like protestors." Blake says. As she passes, a bearded man with his hair in a ponytail steps forward, asking, "Where the fuck you going, Tim can? Hmm?" Weiss tries to step beside him but the man steps back in his way. Ruby sighs, saying, "oh, boy, here we go." The man chuckles and says, "Hey guys, check it out, we got one of those tin cans here." The people surround the Android, dropping their signs. One shoves him to the floor, his box tumbling to the ground. Blake groans as others gasp. A woman says, "Look at this little motherfucker. You steal our jobs, but you can't even stand up." Weiss tries to get back up but is kicked in the stomach and falls back down. "Why doesn't he fight back?" Yang spits out angrily. "The law of robotics." Penny says. "A robot may not injure a person or through inaction, allow a person to be harmed." Ruby says, "Wait, but what about Connor and Daniel?" Yang says, "Maybe he didn't know they were going to shoot him?" Weiss says, "No. the way his face changed, he knew and let it happen. But I think he could disobey because it completed his mission." Weiss tries to get up again, and it pulled up by the bearded man. "You ain't going anywhere. We're gonna fuck your bitch ass up." Yang says, "Lucky it's not me playing." Other protestors agree aggressively. Then a cop appears, saying, "Alright. That's enough." To the bearded man. "Leave it alone." The bearded man says, not looking away from the Android, "Let us teach this bastard a lesson." The cop says, "You damage it, I'm gonna have to fine you." After a moment, the man lets go. He then says to the cop, "They're gonna take your job next. We'll see how you like it." The cop gives a disbelieving, "Okay." The Android picks up the box he dropped as the cop gently pushes him away from the crowd, saying, "Let's go, move along." Weiss positions the android to wait for a bus, which comes along. The Android enters the back compartment, exclusively for androids, with no seats, and all of them standing. "That's not fair." Ruby naively says. "They don't need to sit. I don't either. We can both likely stand for all time. But I do it to fit in with humans, and likely do it more than them." Penny comments. The bus drives off, giving a view of the city as the Android looks around. "Again, is it just me, or is he different?" Ruby again iterates. "He's looking around while the others are staring ahead." Most of them shrug. "Remember it for later, maybe they explain it." Blake says. This, the chapter ends, the girls, and guy, move on to the next chapter


	4. 3

Hey guys I usually have some sort of comment to make but I don't have much to say other than this: I'll try and update this frequently but in between video games, my forgetful self and real life stuff, this may slip my mind. This won't be a terribly interesting chapter but most of the earlier chapters can be described similarly. Anyway, let's continue!

On the same day, the camera shows a gloomy worn-down neighborhood with a grey sky. The round man drives Kara to her new home in a pick-up truck. Kara looks around out the window, as if curious. "Not seemingly the best of neighborhoods." Weiss says. "Something tells me anything without a castle is a ghetto in your eyes." Yang chuckles, much to Weiss' silent dismay. They pass a seemingly burnt house and Ruby says, "Did they really just leave a burnt up house there?!" Blake responds, "Perhaps it's a part of town no one cares for, so they don't bother." Making the others feel kind of depressed. The truck pulls up to a small two-story house with chipping paint. Not much bigger or better-looking than the other houses. The man opens the car door and leaves, followed by Kara. Someone watches her exit the vehicle through a curtained window. Kara walks up to the man, now named Todd, as he walks into the front door of the house.

Kara closes the door and Todd says, "You've been gone for two weeks, so the place is a mess. You do the housework, the washing, you cook the meals and you take care of.." Ruby speaks up. "Right, I get that but.. you can't clean up after yourself for two weeks? Someone's a slob." Weiss comments, "You're one to talk." Ruby leans forward and says, "It was just two comics out of the shelf!" Shes shushed by Yang as Todd looks around. "Goddamnit. Where the fucks the brat gone now?" Yang sarcastically says, "Well that's a nice way to talk about your kid." The man calls out to her twice, then looks to the stairs and sees a girl sitting on the stairs, who seems to be about eight years old. "Oh, there you are.." the girl holds a plush fox and has brown hair in a ponytail. "That's Alice. You look after her, homework bath, all that crap." Yang scoffs. "Okay, I hate to keep coming back to it, but, not only should you look after your kid yourself, but as a parent you should have some level of paranoia of someone else watching your kid. What if something happens?" Todd finishes his statement, asking, "Got it?" Kara nods, saying, "Yes, Todd." Todd begins to walk off, adding, "Get started down here, then you do upstairs." The little girl, Alice, scrambles up the stairs. "Is she nervous elf you?" Blake asks but Weiss groans. "I thought there was a story to this. I'm supposed to clean this place up like a maid?" Ruby responds, "Oh no, it's not like you've never cleaned up someone else's things before." Weiss groans as she begins.

Kara grabs a trash can, bringing it to an island counter in the kitchen, putting a box of Chinese food in the trash, as well as styrofoam plates, beer cans and bottles, and emptying an ash tray. Todd's phone rings and he begins to speak with the other person. Kara comes around, putting the trash on the living room coffee table into the trash can, then does the same with the kitchen. "Yeah, same place, you know where." Todd says. "What's her talking about?" Ruby asks. "Drug deal, maybe?" Blake asks. "I don't know. He's rude and messy, but.. actually he might be that sleazy. Who actually believed a car hit Kara?" The doubt in everyone was palpable. After putting a new bag in the trash can, Kara grabs two trash bags and walks outside the house to take them out, then went back inside. "What next.." Weiss says to herself, checking the objectives. She decided to grab the dishes as Todd vulgarly expresses his annoyance at seemingly losing his tv remote. The dishes were piled high, and Kara brings all the ones she can find to it, grabbing something plates and cups from the kitchen table and looks over to see Todd smoking from a pipe and exhaling red smoke. "Oh, wow." Weiss says, shaking her head. "In front of his daughter, too! At least not do that with her in the room." Ruby asks, "So, maybe he was talking about a drug dealer?" No one really answers her. Kara begins to put dishes into the dishwasher, then scans it to find one of the parts weren't working. Surprisingly, Kara uses some transaction thing in her head to order the part. But for now, she would need to wash the dishes herself.

As she did, Weiss struggled with the touchpad controls. "Come on, stupid controller, I'm doing what you said!" Alice watches her briefly before Kara looks behind herself to her, and Alice scampers away. "Definitely shy." Ruby says, still shy herself, or at least socially inept. They're all surprised and jump when Todd shouts, "KARA! Bring me a cold beer!" Yang sighs, "Oum's sake, man! Scared me to death!" Weiss sighs as Kara finishes the dishes and walks to the fridge. "Hang on.. the fridge.. is in the kitchen. Literally behind his couch. How lazy is this man?!" She groans as Kara gets said beer for Todd. She puts it on the coffee table for Todd who grabs it. "And not even a thank you.." Ruby shakes her head. While near Todd, Weiss tells him, as Kara, "I've made a good start down here. I'll head upstairs." Todd gripes, "Do what you have to do, but stop bothering me." Weiss shakes her head. "It's people like this that almost make me miss home. At least people there are polite, if sarcastically and condescendingly so." Kara walks up the stairs, and into the first room, seemingly Todd's room. She puts up his guitar, tidying up his things, making his bed and putting a bottle of pills into a drawer. Which has a gun. "Alllrighty then. That's a concerning combination. Pills and a gun." Kara picks up a pile of papers to straighten them, and one falls out, and she picks it up, and stares at it for a while. "What. What's on the paper, what's she doing?" Ruby asks, somewhat angrily as its hidden from all. "Judging by the led in her head, she's processing information. It turns yellow when they think or receive information." Penny says. Blake asks, "Wait, it does?" Blake asks and Penny responds, "None of you noticed?" Ruby giggles. "Leave it to an Android to notice everything about Androids." Kara puts the mysterious papers back and moves on to the next room.

Todd comes out of a room and shoves Kara aside, saying, "Watch it." Yang says, "Whoa, what the hell's his problem?" Al finally says something as most forgets he's been there, "Well, first off he's an asshole." Ruby looks down and says, "Oh, forgot you were there, Al. Can you see the screen?" Al responds, "No, but your responses tell me all I need to know. Plus I've played this so many times I know most of what happens." Kara goes into the room he came out of to find it's a bathroom with a toilet. The screen doesn't show much but it seems Amara scrubs the toilet and leaves. She goes down the hall and into a room to the left to find its another bathroom, with a sink, bathtub but no toilet. "Okay, this makes no sense at all. They literally put two thirds of a bathroom in here, then separated it and put it down the hall. How does that- Oh, that's so stupid..." Ruby chuckles and agrees. "Yeah, that is terrible house design." Kara cleans up towels on the floor and straightens bottles of shampoo and whatnot, then mops the floor, the touchpad giving Weiss problems all the while. She turns and goes to the last room, opening a door that's been drawn on. The room turns out to be Alice's, as she finds said girl in there. Alice seems to be reading, but when the door opens, the poor girl crawls to a tent she's made form blankets and cushions. "Huh, that's pretty cool!" Ruby says. Under her breath, Weiss says, "Of course you'd think that's cool." Kara reassuringly says, "I just want to tidy up your room a little. I only need two minutes. Is that okay Alice?" Alice doesn't respond, but Weiss decides to come in and makes her bed. She opens a window to let air in, and a lock symbol unlocks. "What's with that?" Yang Asks. "If it's the lock symbol, it means you opened up a new possibility to use later. For example, because you watched that video in the prologue, you knew Daniel's name." Al answers. Then Blake says, "Wait, how did you know we did that?" Al shrugs. "Lucky guess. Most people do it." Weiss notices an open book on the ground and looks at the cover. Alice in Wonderland. "Huh, even with all that's different in this world, they still have that story." Yang remarks and Ruby says, "That story freaked me out as a kid." Kara reads the title aloud, then looks to Alice with a smile. "Of course." Alice looks nervously at her but back down and something comes up. Alice Neutral. "What's that mean?" Al answers, "Depends. If it's a blue arrow going up, it means your relationship with that person has gone up. If it's a red arrow going down, it's gone down." Weiss notices a wooden box. Kara tried to open it, to find its locked. "I do t think she'd like you poking around in there." Blake says, herself having a secret stash of private things. (Nothing lewd, get y'all minds out the gutter) Kara squats down to speak to Alice.

"I'm sure we used to be friends before I was reset. Maybe we can be friends again." No response from Kara. "You're very quiet. I hope I don't scare you." Yet again, no response. "Your father said you chose my name. Kara, It's nice. How did you choose it?" Silence still from Alice. "You should tell me about yourself. What you like to do, where you like to go, your favorite foods. That would really help me." Alive crawls out of her tent and runs toward the door. Before she leaves, she rushes back to Kara, putting something in her hand, then running away. Kara looks into her hand. A key. "Huh. Nevermind to what I said earlier, then." Blake says. Weiss makes Kara wall tkward the box and unlock it. There are several things inside. A four leaf clover. A picture of Todd, a woman, likely his wife and a girl. "Wait, is that Alice? But she's blonde in the picture, not brunette." Ruby says. "Maybe she dyed her hair?" Yang shrugs. Next is a somewhat crude drawing of Alice, crying and with blood on her head. "Is she bleeding? Why?" Ruby asks. "I don't think I'm going to like what the rest of this stuff is.." Yang winces. Next is a drawing of her and Todd holding hands. "Nice enough." Ruby says, expecting worse. Then the next shows Todd slapping Kara with Alice in the background. "Oh, boy.." Yang sighs. Next is rather graphic, even for a child's drawing. Alice stands and cries over a fallen Kara, whose arm and head is off, bleeding blue. "What the hell..?" Yang says softly. "Did Todd do that to her?" Blake asks. Weiss observes, "Well h has been physical with her. He just shoved her in the hall. Kara's led turns yellow and she quickly puts everything back and closes the box, then goes downstairs.

Alice sits at the table with her fox plush and Todd asks from behind her, "What are you doing?" Alice shyly answers, "I.. I'm playing.." Todd says almost in a whisper, "You're playing.." he walks a bit then says louder, "I know what you're thinking.. You think your dad's a lowlife. Huh?" Yang scoffs and says, "Really? You're doing this with your daughter?" Todd continues. "Fucking loser? Can't get a job, can't take care of his family? Don't you think I tried to make things work?" Al comments, "Is anyone else noticing a huge tone shift here?" Todd continues his rant. "But whatever I do, when someone comes along they just FUCK IT ALL UP!" He tosses a chair as he yells. "I know what you think of me.. you hate me. You hate me, don't you?" Her chair falls over as Alice tries to back away from her advancing father, but he grabs her. "Whoa, Kara, do something!" Penny says, "I don't think she can. She's programmed to obey Todd." Todd shouts in her face, saying, "Say it! You hate me!" Alice begins to cry, then Todd let's her down, begin to break down himself, into a sob. "God.. what am I doing?" Ruby naively says, "Well.. at least he's sorry for it.." Yang says, "Being Sorry isn't enough. You don't put a kid through that in the first place." Alice looks to Kara, then Todd says, "I'm sorry, honey. I'm sorry.." I'm a genuine way. But earlier he seemed genuine in his hate for her. "You know I love you, don't you? You know I love you..." Weiss says, "I think he's bipolar or just has mood swings." Blake asks, "Aren't they the same?" Weiss shrugs. "I don't know, are they?" The chapter ends on that emotional, and uncertain note.


	5. 4

(Hey, guys, so sorry I haven't updated this story in a bit. I haven't forgotten, I swear! With recent events amid the covid chaos, I've lost any and all semblance of time, am getting bombarded with school assignments online and whenever I find free time I waste it on video games or sleeping, I'M SORRY! I'll try and remedy this and make updating this a habit, cuz I really do love doing this, I do! And if I can't do this now, when time is all I have, when can I do it, after all? Anyway, here's the next bit of this, enjoy!)

The screen opens to show the bus under orange-leafed trees. "Pretty.." Ruby says, then Yang states, "I like the red leaves of forever fall better, but still. Nice." The bald, male Android from earlier steps off the bus. "Oh, it's.. oh, what's his name?" Ruby thinks aloud. "His name wasn't said, I believe." Blake deadpans, making Ruby chuckle, "I-I knew that! Just making sure you were paying attention..." the camera shows a rather huge.. Well, House would be a bit generous. Small Mansion, perhaps? "Is this the house he serves?" Weiss asks and yang snickers. "House he serves? News flash, Weiss, we're not in medieval times." Earning a groan from Weiss. The Android walks to the door which opens itself, and a voice says, "Alarm deactivates. Welcome home, Markus." Blake comments, "Now you know his name." The house looks as elegant on the inside as it did on the outside. Markus puts down the package he got from the paint store on a table. Then hangs his jacket up on a coat rack.

He walks to a bird cage as the objective flashes. "Take care of Carl? Who's that?" Yang asks, Weiss saying, "Maybe someone important, or generally with enough money to afford an Android." Blake says, "I'm gonna go with important, as apparently Todd could afford Kara, and he's not in a small mansion." Markus opens the birdcage, and sees little birds standing still, and grabs one. "Why are they so stiff?" Then Markus touches the side of its head and it springs to life. Markus let's it into the cage, and grabs the other, doing the same thing. "They have Android animals?" Ruby asks, mostly to herself as she can plainly see. Markus closes the cage, then heads upstairs. There are a few pieces of art and a few skeletons formed from fossils hanging from the ceiling. "Okay. Someone important, or very rich." Yang comments. Markus enters a bedroom and draws the curtains, waking up an older man, who moves his arm to cover his eyes, showing tattoos on his arms.

"Good morning, Carl." The old man, now Carl

* * *

responds, quietly, "Good morning." Ruby says, "I see. Maybe he's an older relative of someone rich or important?" Markus says, "It's 10 AM. The weathers partly cloudy, 54 degrees, 80% humidity, with a strong possibility of afternoon showers." Yang chuckles and says, "Don't need to tune into the weather channel with this guy around, huh?" Carl says tiredly, "Sounds like a good day to spend in bed." Earning a chuckle of understanding from Ruby. Markus comes to the bedside table right of Carl, saying, "I did go to pick up that paint you ordered." Carl replies, "Oh, yes I'd forgotten!" Revealing yet another possible purpose of Androids. "That is the difference between you and me, isn't it, Markus?" He asks as Markus puts together a high-tech device. "You never forget anything." The old man says genuinely, before Markus says, "Show me your arm please, Carl." The old man childishly protests, "No!" But Markus nags, "Carl.." stifling a sigh from Carl as he shows his arm. He presses the device to Carl's arm. "Took a lot more than that for us to let Ruby get her injections." Getting a groan from Ruby. "Can you not right now?" Carl says, "I just opened my eyes, and I'm already gritting my teeth.." there's a silence of sadness after he says that, and Markus begins to inject the syringes payload into him. "Humans are such a fragile machine.. They break down so quickly.. All this effort, to keep 'em going.." while that furthers the sadness for everyone else, those words echoed within Penny's mind. Humans are fragile machines that break down quickly, even with the fort to keep them going. Her eyes fall on Ruby as she thinks..

Carl puts his hands on Markus' arm and chest, asking "What happened to your clothes?" Noticing a tear on his shirt. "Oh, it's nothing. Just some demonstrators in the street, Carl." Carl responds, "What a bunch of idiots.. they think that they can stop progress by roughing up a few machines?" His attitude toward Androids gives everyone a deeper appreciation for him. Aside from Blake. As far as she could tell, Androids were people as well. She didn't hate him, though. "I hope they didn't harm you." Markus says as he puts away the syringe, "Oh, no, no. They just pushed me around, Carl. I'm fine." He gets up, then says, "I'll take you to the bathroom now." Yang groans in a slightly disgusted fashion. "They're not gonna show is it, right?" Weiss says, "Don't be ridiculous. Of course they won't." Markus lifts Carl up and takes him through a door, presumably to the bathroom as the camera pans around Carl's bedroom, showing lots of drawings and paintings.

"I'm starting to think Carl is an artist. He did want paint, and it explains all the paintings." Everyone nods in agreement as Carl is carried back out of the bathroom, dressed up in clothes not pajamas. He then puts Carl into a wheel chair and rolls him out of the room. "Anything special on the agenda today?" Carl asks, and Markus answers, "Yes, there's the opening of your retrospective at the museum of modern art. The gallery director left four messages asking to confirm your attendance." Yang says, "So he is an artist. Nice job, Blake." Carl mutters, then says, "I haven't decided yet. We'll see about that later." As Markus comes to the top of the stairs, then positions him to be picked up by a device on the stairs to take him down, then Markus takes his wheelchair again, pushing him along. "What else?" Carl asks and Markus says, "Just your usual fan mail. I've already answered." After a moment's pause, Carl asks, "Any news from Leo?" The girls look amongst each other and yang asks, "Maybe a relative?" Markus says, "I can call him if you like." But Carl gives a quick, "No. no, don't bother." Markus wheels him into the dining room, which is rather exquisite, with many bookshelves, decorations, a piano, a chess table, and a double-sided tv.

Markus takes Carl to the table as Carl says, "I'm starving." Markus says, "Well, your breakfast is ready. Bacon and eggs, just the way you like them." Yang thinks to herself, "A good looking guy who can cook? Wow!" Carl politely says, "Thank you Markus." And Markus replies just as politely, "You're welcome." As he pushes Carl into his place at the dinner table, then walks to th kitchen to retrieve Carl's breakfast tray. Weiss notices the fancy cutlery and gives mental prompts. Markus brings it over, presenting his meal. "Thank you, Markus." Carl says as Markus pours a dark liquid, seemingly coffee into his mug, then putting it near his plate as Carl says, "Television, on!" And the rv comes to life. As it speaks of a country declaring the North Pole its territory, Carl says, "Why don't you find something to do while I finish my breakfast?" Markus responds, "Sure. Okay, Carl." Almost immediately, Weiss goes to the piano. It was an elegant instrument, but one she could never master. Markus sat down in the piano chair and Yang says, "Of course you picked the piano." And Weiss responds, "Quiet you." And Ruby says, "Yeah, quiet! I wanna hear!" Weiss went for the melancholic tune, and began tapping the touchpad in rhythm with the song. At some point Carl finished his breakfast, then wheeled over to listen. When he finishes, Yang says, "Not into pianos, but, still pretty."

Markus looks over and up to Carl who was silently watching. "Something has changed in the way you play. Sometimes I think you have more humanity than most humans.. one day, I won't be here to take care of you anymore." As Carl says that, Penny looks to Ruby again, considering the same with them, except no one takes care of each other with them. One day, Ruby will get older and older. But Penny won't age a day. The thought hurt Penny. "You'll have to protect yourself. And make your choices. Decide who you are, and wanna become. This world doesn't like those who are different Markus." A statement that Blake can more than attest to. She knows that for a fact. She lived it, many times. "Don't let anyone tell you who you should be." That sentence stuck with Ruby. When she came to Beacon, everyone thought she was too young to be any good, and she was better than most of those older than her, and better still. Weiss gained more respect for Weiss, and Yang surprisingly, appreciated the wisdom in the kind old man's words.

"Let's go to the studio." Carl says, ending the rather philosophical, one-sided chat. Markus gets up and wheels Carl to the door, which opens, and light floods into the glass room as curtains draw when they enter. Canvases, sculptures, and tables of art supplies litter the room. Markus puts Carl's wheelchair into a machine that lifts him to a large painting, covered by a sheet. "Let's see where we left off. Remove the sheet!" Carl says, and Markus does just that. It's reveals a blue painting of a figure looking over its shoulder. As Carl paints, Markus sets to cleaning some of the mess in the studio. After a bit, Carl lowers himself, using the machine and wheels himself back to observe it. Markus is at his side and Carl states, "So.. what's your verdict, Markus?" Markus comments, at Weiss' decision, "Yes, there is something about it. Something I can't.. quite define. I guess I like it." He looks down to Carl, who says, "The truth is, I have nothing left to say anymore. Each day that goes by brings me closer to the end.. I'm just an old man clinging to his brushes.." Markus says, in a depressed manner, "Carl.." after a moment, Carl says, "But enough about me.. let's see if you have any talent! Give it a try. Try painting something." This surprises Blake, and Penny, as well as Weiss. Blake had thought his thoughts of Markus were founded on purty, which is disproved by this. Penny was more confused. Could Markus paint anything? Weiss was surprised, because a noble rarely genuinely cares about his underlings. Markus stutters, "Paint? But, what, I.. painting what?" Carl simplifies, "Anything you want! Give it a try." He says, pointing to a blank canvas. Markus laughs it off until Carl hands him his easel. Markus takes it, and approaches the canvas. After a moment of looking, he paints the contents of the desk near to him. He ends up making a rather amazing painting of it. Carl says, "That is a prefect copy of reality. But painting is not about replicating the world, it's about interpreting it, improving on it, showing something you see." This makes Ruby think more on the art of painting. There is more than dipping a brush in paint and rubbing it on canvas. "Carl, I don't.. think I can do that, it's not in my programming." But Carl keeps pushing for the better. "Go on, go, try, grab that canvas." Markus swaps to another blank canvas, then Carl says, "Do something for me, close your eyes. Close your eyes. Trust me." Markus does just that and Carl says, "Try to imagine something that doesn't exist. Something you've never seen before. Now, concentrate.. on how it makes you feel. And let your hand drift across the canvas." Blake puts down her book for the first time to truly watch. After Weiss makes two choices, Markus begins to paint. When he opens his eyes, he's painted a hand outstretched with a chain in it, making everyone give a gasp of awe. Carl says, just as much in awe, "Oh, my god.." then, a twitchy young man steps into the studio. "Hey, Dad." The young man says, Carl's attention going to him. "Leo.. I didn't hear you come in." Leo says, "Aw, I was in the neighborhood, I thought I'd stop by. It's been a while, right?" Ruby says, "What's wrong with him? He's so twitchy." Yang and Blake of course knew, but weren't going to say. Carl looks him up and down and says, "You alright? You don't look so good." Leo quickly says, "Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm fine.. hey, listen, uh.. I need some cash, dad." Yang groans. She knew his type. Addicted to some kind of substance, only contact their parents when they need money. Carl says, in slight disbelief, "Again? What happened to the money I just gave you?" Leo chuckles, then says, "Uh, well, it just goes, you know?" Carl absentmindedly says, "Yeah.. yeah, you're on it again, aren't you?" Leo says, "No, no, no, I swear it's not that!" Carl shakes his head, saying, "Do t lie to me, Leo." Then Leo snaps, shouting, "What difference does it make, I just need some cash, that's all!" Ruby comments, "So, um. Is that a red flag?" Yang says with wide eyes, "Crimson." Carl denies, saying, "Sorry.. the answer's no." Leo snaps again, "What? Why?" Carl says, "You know why." After a look to Markus, Leo says, "Yeah. Yeah I think I do know why. You'd rather take care of your plastic toy here than your own son, Eh?" Blake was not enjoying his speech. It was no different from the way humans called faunus animals. "Tell me, dad, what's it got that I don't? It's smarter? More obedient? Not like me, right?" He asks as he approaches Markus. But you know what, this thing is not your son. It's a fucking MACHINE!" He says before shoving Markus, then Carl shouts, in a booming voice his old frame would not suggest, "Leo that's enough! Enough!" Leo looks at Markus' painting, then says, "You don't care about anything other than yourself and your goddamn paintings. You've never loved anyone. You've never loved me, dad.." he walks to the doorway, then gives a final, "You never loved me." Carl sighs in his seat as the screen darkens. As someone who loved her father, and loved her departed mother, Ruby was in disbelief. But Weiss understood. Her father was one she hated. But it was perfectly warranted. Carl may not have been a perfect father, but he was definitely better than hers. Her father never wanted a daughter. He wanted an heir.


End file.
